The 2024 WNBA Season is officially here, and if you’ve felt like the 2024 season has come with a little more fanfare than usual, you’re absolutely right. In fact, this year’s season opener between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun drew over two million viewers on ESPN2 (!!), making it the most watched WNBA game ever in ESPN history. It even drew more viewers than the NHL playoffs. Even the WNBA pre-game show was up a whooping 126% this year!! Yes, the W is hitting the mainstream, but you might be wondering — who are all the gay WNBA players, anyway? What percent of the WNBA is gay? And more importantly, where do I find them online? My friends, I have you covered.
When Autostraddle first published this list, we had 15 out players. But my, how the time flies! As of June 28, 2024 there are at least 38 out gay players in the WNBA! That makes up a quarter of the league! And yes, we could wax nostalgic about how great it is that the W and society at large has come such a long way for players to not only be comfortable in their gay skin, but be celebrated for it. And seriously, that is great. But I’m going to keep it 100 with you! I first started getting into the W because someone finally sat me down and showed me how insanely hot these players are. So I’m going to cut right to the chase and pay it forward.
Here is every out gay WNBA player that I could find, and the hottest picture of them available on their Instagram… for reasons. We’re all grown here. Enjoy. And if you know of more (confirmed!) openly gay WNBA players, drop them in the comments.
* Many of these players are partnered, engaged, married, with babies on the way. So! To any actual WNBA wife (unlike me, a purely fantasy WNBA wife) who happens upon this post, please know that we come to thirst in peace! It’s a sign of your excellent taste, presented with nothing but honor and respect upon your household.
* This post has been updated as of 6/28/24 to reflect all the final team rosters for 2024 WNBA season.
38 Gay WNBA Players to Follow (And Thirst After) on Instagram This Season
Aerial Powers, Atlanta Dream
Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun
Congratulations to Alyssa Thomas, who got engaged to her Connecticut Sun teammate DeWanna Bonner last summer!
Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings
Arike Ogunbowale got engaged by proposing to her girlfriend in a backyard full of rose petals! A romantic at her core!
Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
Breanna and her wife welcomed a new baby this winter.
Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8Fd61MPvQH/
DID YOU HEAR THAT BABY BG IS ON THE WAY!?!? Incredible congrats to Brittney and Cherelle!
Brittney Sykes, Washington Mystics
https://www.instagram.com/p/Co5HRpvrnuw/
Cecilia Zandalasini, Minnesota Lynx
Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces
Chelsea Gray and her wife welcomed their new baby this past winter. The WNBA baby boom is in full effect.
Courtney Vandersloot, New York Liberty
Courtney Williams, Minnesota Lynx
Crystal Dangerfield, Atlanta Dream
https://www.tiktok.com/@crystaldangerfield2/video/7349001997372230955
In between the last update of this list and the current one, Crystal Dangerfield removed her Instagram. But I didn’t want her (or you!) to miss out on all the gay fun — so here she is on TikTok!
DeWanna Bonner, Connecticut Sun
As mentioned already, DeWanna is engaged to Alyssa Thomas (who’s also on this list).
Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
DiJonai Carrington, Connecticut Sun
Dyaisha Fair, Las Vegas Aces
Emily Engstler, Washington Mystics
Emma Cannon, Las Vegas Aces
Erica Wheeler, Indiana Fever
Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnra0-pO_F4/?hl=en
Jonquel got engaged last summer! And the photos are to die for.
Jordan Horston, Seattle Storm
Jordin Canada, Atlanta Dream
Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercurcy
Kahleah also got engaged over the fall.
Kate Martin, Las Vegas Aces
Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx
Kierstan Bell, Las Vegas Aces
Layshia Clarendon, Los Angeles Sparks
NaLyssa Smith, Indiana Fever
Natasha Cloud, Phoenix Mercury
Natasha Howard, Dallas Wings
Natasha Mack, Phoenix Mercury
Natisha Hiedeman, Minnesota Lynx
https://www.instagram.com/p/CpNqRUgNye2/?img_index=1
Sami Whitcomb, Seattle Storm
Sevgi Uzun, Dallas Wings
Stefanie Dolson, Washington Mystics
Sug Sutton, Phoenix Mercury
https://www.instagram.com/p/C1AXyQrMltb/?img_index=1
Sydney Colson, Las Vegas Aces
Sydney’s Instagram won’t embed into the post, so please enjoy this screenshot. But also follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok not just for the thirst, but for the jokes. Syd’s got one of the WNBA’s biggest personalities and she’s unapologetically gay. They don’t call her “the face of the league” for nothing!! (PS: You can read my interview with her for Autostraddle right here.)
Victoria Vivians, Seattle Storm
While assembling research and crunching numbers for this post, I learned some other fun facts that you might enjoy! Such as:
Which WNBA Team Has the Most Gay Players?
The Phoenix Mercury is the WNBA team with the most gay players, in 2024 there will be six gay WNBA players suiting up in Phoenix. The Las Vegas Aces will have five gay players, leaving them in second place (a ranking that the back-to-back WNBA champs are not used to having). The Chicago Sky is statistically the most straight team, with no out gay players that I could find. As of right now, The Los Angeles Sparks have only one out gay player.
Are There Any Trans or Nonbinary WNBA Players?
Yes, Layshia Clarendon of the LA Sparks is nonbinary!
What Percentage of the WNBA Is Gay?
As of right now, there are 38 out gay players in the WNBA for the 2024 season. That means over 25% of the WNBA is gay (38/141 total current players for the 2024 season, then divide and multiply by 100. You understand how statistics work). This would be right on track with the last two seasons. Research in 2022 found that 20% of the league was gay, and our reporting last year also had the league at about 25% gay. Three players from last year’s list — Candace Parker, Tiffany Hayes and Jasmine Thomas — retired after last season. A small handful of others just didn’t any find roster spots this year. But on the flip side, new gays also joined the ranks! Arike Ogunbowale got engaged, thus landing her on this list! And at least one player, Kayla McBride, had been gay this whole time, but we’d previously missed her 2019 Nike Pride ad until now. Gays! They are everywhere!
WNBA 101
If you’re like me and came to this post for the thirst, but are new to the league and would like to learn more — let me close us out by saying, I have a post for that too and you might enjoy it: WNBA 101: Everything You Need to Know About the Gayest Sports League 🧡
